Dawn
by Shat3rdLooking-Glass
Summary: Searching to justify his mistakes, Sasuke makes a deal with the Kyuubi to start all over again. Only, there’s a catch – Uzumaki Naruto must fall in love with….her. Spoilers for manga, Het, NaruSasu
1. Rise

**Title – **Dawn

**Rating – **M

**Main Pairing – **NaruSasu

**Disclaimer – **I don't own Naruto.

**Summery – **Searching to justify his mistakes, Sasuke makes a deal with the Kyuubi to start all over again. Only, there's a catch – Uzumaki Naruto must fall in love with…her! Spoilers for manga, Het

**Author's Notes – **New fic. Because I'm brain dead on the others, and because this idea has been eating away at me for months. May be extremely long, but I'll shorten it somewhat.

-0-0-0-

He never thought that it would end this way. The fires raged behind him, mercilessly eating whatever was left of the completely decimated village. Sparks hissed at his ankles, threatening to swallow him whole. Katana in hand, he slowly walked forward, and with each step, he forcefully destroyed his emotions, the feelings of regret, until there were none.

Black eyes gazed into blue. Who would win? The empty, black hole? Or the raging, angry sea? Weapons are at the ready, and the rivals clash in what they both knew to be the final battle.

Naruto's mind was a whirlwind of emotion, the exact opposite of Sasuke's. The blond-haired, blue-eyed shinobi was known for acting on instinct, without thought of the consequences. But with each and every hit he sustained, he could feel the vigor that fueled him begin to dissipate. _Why? Why?! WHY!?_ The word swirled around his head, growing louder and louder. _I loved you…_

_I can't…_

Sasuke froze. Naruto froze. Both gazed solemnly into each other's eyes. Sasuke fought against the emotions that were bubbling up inside him. He had to do this…Ever since he left the village, he was prepared for this. No more regret.

He moved. Naruto didn't bother anymore.

-0-0-0-

The sun was setting over the destroyed mountaintop; the faces carved in stone completely unrecognizable. Debris was scattered everywhere, corpses torn and thrown about. Not a single building was left standing. This was the end of the great Konoha.

Sasuke stood at the bridge, leaning against the railing that he had become too tall for. He closed his eyes, and imagined that at any moment now, Sakura and Naruto would arrive, arguing as always. And that Kakashi would appear three hours late, armed with an excuse and a warm, fatherly smile.

The smell of blood was what brought him out of his daydream. His sword, crimson, had been dipped into the blood of the people who had tried to save him. Not a single one of them fought back. They closed their eyes, and accepted their fate. And Sasuke hated that with every fiber of his being.

Orange rays littered the sky, and Sasuke closed his eyes, and pictured himself traveling over the mountain, through the forest, over seas, past the mystery of the world, to wherever _he _was now. And he chuckled hauntingly to himself , remembering that the place Naruto had gone to was somewhere he could never follow. Twilight approached, and the black sky began coating the breathtaking sunset. The metaphor was too ironic.

Something wet fell on his cheek, and Sasuke repeated over and over again that it was simply the rain. The lies were futile. The emotions he fought so hard to control surged in an overwhelming onslaught. He cried, laughed, screamed, and collapsed. There was nothing else to do.

A second chance? A chance to see the dawn again, to watch the rising sun of a new tomorrow over the horizon, with Naruto's warmth and presence by his side…what wouldn't he do for that?

Hours passed. Tears continued to fall. He was so lost in his thoughts, he barely noticed the huge amount of cursed, but familiar, chakra floating in his direction. When he looked up, Sasuke fought the rising false hope. It couldn't be him. It had to be…

"Kyuubi," he murmured, afraid to meet the demon's gaze. The eyes were red, but he couldn't help but be colorblind at the moment. "What brings you…here?"

"Business," the demon huskily replied. Sasuke felt the air shift as Kyuubi settled next to him. After a few moments of silence, he spoke again: "And you? Mourning over your mistakes, I see."

Sasuke opted for silence. He didn't need a second party to remind him about the events that had transpired, or to hammer him down with guilt. All the Uchiha wanted right now is that single, impossible dream. A second chance? He deserved no such thing. Kyuubi seemed to have read his thoughts, because he chuckled coldly, something that sounded nothing like the dead host the demon was currently inhabiting.

"You know, this is getting really boring," Kyuubi jeered, and the raven wanted to smack that stupid, triumphant grin right off of his face. Much to the Uchiha's dismay, he continued, "No challenge? Nothing? No begging or pleading?"

"What, in my possession, could you want in exchange for my wish? I have nothing, meaning I can't give you anything," Sasuke stated as calmly as he could. Kyuubi, however, caught the slight quiver in his voice.

"I'm bored. Entertain me is all I ask."

Sasuke finally brought himself to gaze into the red eyes of the nine-tailed demon. They were so different from Naruto's: tired and annoyed, unlike the usual cheery, curious orbs that he saw in his dreams. Like they knew everything. However, the eyes were also different from what he expected. They were more…human.

"He's still alive," Sasuke's voice dropped to an amazed whisper.

"Barely. I'm the one in control, this time."

Sasuke turned away, hugging his knees closer to his chest. "Can he hear me?"

"Yes."

"He's mad isn't he?"

A pause. "Yes."

Black, obsidian eyes began welling up, but Sasuke shook his head and bit his lip to keep the water from overflowing. Tears weren't worth it, because now it was his chance to apologize. He opened his dry mouth, but fear clogged his throat. What would Naruto say? What if he doesn't care anymore?

"You wanted a second chance, right?" the voice had softened, with little hints of Naruto scattered in the words. Sasuke's reply was a nod. The Uchiha was afraid that if he spoke, the tears would return.

An awkward silence ensued. Finally, the demon stood up and turned as if to go. But he spoke, "Naruto does, too. There was something he wanted to say before he died. You know, despite everything he…

"…loved you."

The words spun around in Sasuke's consciousness, and an extreme headache, like a billion drills were penetrating his skull, followed. The pain was almost unbearable, and he scarcely comprehended Kyuubi's next words. "The question is…will he love you again?"

And as all light faded away, his world shattered.

-0-0-0-

**O **n e

**R i s e**

-0-0-0-

The light seeping in through the window permeated his eyelids, rousing him from slumber. Aching arms and shoulders were stretched, and onyx eyes gazed out the window towards the beautiful rising sun. The sky had scattered clouds, outlined by purple and orange streaks of light that also illuminated the enormous village. Dawn was approaching, and along with it came a new day.

Sasuke yawned, a hand flying toward his mouth, and another rubbing both eyes awake. He stumbled out of the tangled sheets and headed out the hall and towards the bathroom, grabbing a towel along the way. Just as he was about to open the door, an all too familiar figure stepped out from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Sleeping Beauty's finally awake, I see," the voice of Uchiha Itachi said, with a smile. "Hurry up, or you'll be late for the orientation."

Sasuke's eyes snapped open, and whatever bits of sleep he had left in his head vanished immediately. _Nii-san is…alive? But…_

"Kids! Move it or lose it!"

"Mom?" Sasuke whispered, overwhelmed.

Itachi blinked once, and twice, before leaving his dazed sibling in the hallway. Sasuke, in a dreamlike trance, stepped into the bathroom, and started removing his clothes. At that moment, another surprise hit him…or should I say her. Stifling a scream, she turned away from the mirror, red painting her pallid cheeks. _I'm dreaming! I'm dreaming! _

After repeatedly taking several deep breaths, Sasuke began to arrange her thoughts accordingly. _One: I'm now a girl. Not a big deal…right? Two: My family is still alive, and Konoha's completely unharmed. Meaning…Three: So is Naruto. _The very thought gave her a surge of hope and happiness. She became content with the facts as she took a shower and rushed to her room. _And thus leads to Four: This is my chance to start over!_

Her good mood was shot down when she returned to her room. Clothing dilemma. At first, the male conscious argued that appearances don't matter, and that she should pick comfort over beauty anyway. That vanity was a sin. And then the female came up with a retort that won the argument: _Impress Naruto by looking good. _And that was a simple enough answer.

Being the skilled ninja she was in her past life, she compared this new life to a mission, and that she must accept it with grace and understanding. Although the initial shock hadn't completely worn off yet, she had become quite comfortable with the girl thing, even as she had to rummage through her messy room just to find a bra. Five minutes later, she sat on her bed, in her underwear, still unsure about what she was going to wear. Itachi then knocked on the door, reminding her about the time, and Sasuke cursed inwardly. She thrust her hands into the closet and pulled out the first thing her fingers latched onto: white shorts and a blue kimono-like top. She threw it on, tied the headband around her forehead and gave one glance at herself in the mirror.

She hated to admit it: practically nothing changed about her appearance. The same impressive brow, thin eyebrows and sharp eyes. The eyelashes, she realized, were a part of her before: long and beautiful. The only difference was the waist, the chest, her…other parts…and a good length of hair, reaching mid-back. It was plain, and clean. She blinked once, then turned around in front of the full-length mirror. An impatient yell from her father broke her out of her stupor, and she quickly dashed down the stairs.

"Again, with the clothing fuss?" Fugaku complained, sipping casually on his coffee.

Mikoto smiled as she sat down at the table next across from her husband. "She's becoming a young woman. Let her be." And then to Sasuke: "Let's go shopping this weekend, okay?"

Sasuke nodded in gratitude, and Fugaku muttered something about the bills. "Don't buy anything too expensive." Her father's expression softened, and then he said calmly, "Eat up so that you have enough energy at the orientation. Show them what you're made of." The smile that followed was a rare treasure, something Sasuke knew she would never forget.

"Of course!"

Mikoto smiled cheerily and handed her daughter a large bento box. "Share with your new teammates, okay dear?"

Sasuke nodded and headed toward the door, but she paused when her father called her name. She turned around, allowing him to continue, "Sasuke. I'm proud of you. But remember one thing…"

A dramatic pause, before he said something drastically ridiculous, as most fathers were prone to doing: "No boys."

Mikoto laughed, and Sasuke fumed, her face resembling a bright, red tomato. She marched out with what little pride she had left.

-0-0-0-

The walk was relaxing, and it allowed Sasuke to overlook the situation over again. Kyuubi had given her a chance, something that shouldn't be wasted. Her family was alive, and probably not risking the original plan to take over the village, which would explain why her brother is still alive. Naruto would be, too. The thought of his name brought along another wave of happiness. Stupid hormones.

Sasuke was reincarnated a female…meaning that maybe she didn't possess the Sharingan. A small obstacle, but nothing she couldn't overcome. And who knows? Considering the special circumstances, she might end up being the first female Uchiha who was able to wield the Sharingan. The thought was appealing, and so she worried no longer.

Much to her surprise, the Academy loomed above her in just a few minutes. Memories flooded her brain, and she smiled, renewing her promise. _I won't mess up. This time…I'll be better._

She swung open the door, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

Familiar faces, faces of those she killed in her past life were scattered across the room. They all turned to look, and for a moment, Sasuke felt as if she should run, escape. As if she wasn't welcome. But the expressions were harmless – no hatred. Either indifference, or smiles. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and meandered her way through the bodies and towards a classroom desk.

After a few moments of waiting, another body sat next to her, and the world completely stilled. Slowly, Sasuke turned her head, and the radiating warmth from _his _body was…spectacular. Naruto smiled casually at her, cerulean eyes twinkling with life. "Hiya, Sasuke! What's up?"

Struck speechless, Sasuke turned away to hid the blush rising onto her cheeks. Finally, after composing her jumbled thoughts, she said, 'Nothing. Uh..."

"Oh, I get it," the blond said in a smart-ass tone. Sasuke wanted to punch his living daylights out – she may be a better person, but the rivalry relationship was to etched into her persona to resist. _What does he get…Does he…know?_

"You're nervous about the orientation, aren't'cha?"

For once, Sasuke praised the gods that Naruto was an idiot. She took a deep breath an turned to face him, hands clenching into fists to keep from leaping atop him and crying. "No…not really."

There was a silence, and then Naruto scratched the back of his head, saying, "Of course you wouldn't be. The great genius and first female number one rookie Uchiha Sasuke wouldn't be nervous over something as simple as this. You graduated top after all." A mocking tone was apparent in his melodic, rich voice. However, Sasuke still wanted to punch him. Again with the stupid hormones. She found a new respect for Ino and Sakura, despite their annoying attitudes.

"Hn." She almost smiled to herself. Well, at least one thing didn't change.

Naruto rolled his eyes and turned away, stretching again. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her, and he couldn't help but smile. "Whatever… spoiled princess." He whispered the last part, not wanting to get pummeled.

Ino and Sakura entered the room, arguing about some idiotic rivalry. Both finally huffed their cheeks and stomped away to opposite sides of the room. Several others walked in after them, chatting excitedly about the orientation. Inuzuka Kiba, a good friend of Naruto, walked over to him and punched Naruto's arm lightly. The blond looked up, opening one eye, obviously annoyed at the fact that the brunet ruined his daydreaming. "What?"

"Move. I want to sit next to Sasuke."

Sasuke's ear twitched at the sound of her name. Apparently, the fan girl/boy stuff hadn't changed either, except for the gender, that is. Sighing, she rolled her eyes and said, "Kiba, I wanted to sit next to Naruto, anyway. You can sit here." She motioned for Naruto to switch places with her, so that she sat in the center, and both boys could sit on either side of her. Naruto nodded and stepped atop the desk to switch places…

…until some unlucky guy had to pull back his elbow and push Naruto…right onto Sasuke.

Naruto noticed that he landed on something soft, and very warm. The feeling was every bit nice…but the state of euphoria was shattered by Sasuke's girly screech. Girls proclaimed, "Pervert!" while guys patted Naruto's back and exchanged high fives. For Naruto landed right onto Sasuke's…breasts. _Those soft, pert, warm breasts…_While Naruto's thoughts ran wild, Sasuke punched the blond across the room and right into the chalkboard, and sank into her seat, embarrassed.

_At least it wasn't the kiss…_

"Never mind. Kiba, you sit there," her voice was inaudible, but Kiba took the hint and sat next to her, but gave her personal space, also not wishing to be pummeled.

Naruto was finally tugged out of the black board, and was forced to sit somewhere across the room from Sasuke. He was nursing his bruise, while many of the vigorous men asked him what they felt like and what size she was and other perverted things like that. Naruto cradled his face in his hands, cursing at himself for ruining such a rather good opportunity to get to know "Miss Perfect," as everybody referred to her.

-0-0-0-

Uchiha Sasuke was always so far away, so skilled, and so untouchable. Like a goddess, who was kind enough to grace this village of her presence. Of course, Naruto hated her at first, but it was a false sort of hate. He…didn't know what to think of her. A few nights ago, he had explained this to his father, the Fourth Hokage, and he laughed and said, "The best way to know, is to be friends with her."

So he decided to follow his father's advice. Unfortunately, Naruto knew how inept he was, and he seriously messed it up. But in the few minutes he spent talking with her this morning, she was…different. Like an actual human being. And Naruto was even more transfixed than ever.

And her breasts…No…don't even go there! He banged his head against the desk, frustrated and ashamed. From the corner of his eye, Sasuke's tomato red face was flushed against her usual pale skin. And yet…she was glorious.

The door flew open, and Iruka stepped inside, several papers in hand. He greeted the student warmly and began the orientation. "You are all going to be set up in teams of three. The teams are set up so that the abilities are statistically equal. Each team will have a jounin as the head. I will announce the teams now. Team one is…"

Sasuke closed her eyes and took a deep breath. If luck was on her side, the teams will be set up exactly as before, and she'll be with Naruto. Although she dreaded having any more experiences like the one that just occurred, she still loved his company. _Hopefully, things will turn out okay._

"Team Seven: Uzumaki Naruto…"

The blond perked up, and prayed to the heavens. _Her. I don't care who else. Just as long as it's her! _

"Haruno Sakura…"

The pink-haired girl groaned at the thought of getting close to the class dimwit. Other girls around her attempted to console her, until Iruka raised his hand and stilled the room. He continued.

"And Uchiha Sasuke."

Boys groaned in disappointment. Naruto internally did a jitterbug dance, and Sasuke smiled inwardly. Iruka announced the other teams; all the same as before. The simplicity was…heartwarming in a way.

The future genin dispersed, opting to sit next to their new teammates to smooth tensions. Sakura had shoved Naruto aside, accusing him of perverted thoughts and both girls huddled at the corner of the desk. The blond groaned and rested his forehead on the cool wood, and every once in a while, he stole a glance at Sasuke. She was looking at him with a deep intensity, black eyes boring holes in his tan skin. _What are you thinking? _

Their eyes met for a fraction of a second before both party's turned away, huffing and pouting and blushing. Naruto glanced up from his desk and saw that most of the teams had already left with their sensei, and Iruka had already gone as well. He groaned again.

Sasuke expected this much. She bit her lip to keep from laughing about it. _Kakashi-sensei…_ She mentally prepared herself for an extremely long wait.

Like before: Something's never change.

-0-0-0-

Long, I know. But please bear with me. Read and Review, please and thank you.


	2. Fight

Thank you all so much for your support. I'll take the time to answer your reviews at the bottom of the fic. In any case, your support doesn't go unrewarded because this is a new chapter!

-0-0-0-

Her patience was running thin. Frustration, combined with lingering embarrassment from previous events, and hunger made Sasuke a walking human bomb, waiting to explode on its target, which, in this case, would be Kakashi-sensei. _Damned pervert. Can't he be on time for once? _She had steeled herself for this wait, but even so, Kakashi's habits had a way of making her blood boil.

She sighed, running a hand through her locks, and stopped at the point where her hair used to end. She smiled to herself, almost forgetting her current predicament. Of course, she had longer hair. She was, after all, a girl.

After a few more minutes of waiting, Naruto groaned again and stood up, stretching his arms. "That stupid sensei! He's late! The other teams had already left!" His cerulean eyes scanned the empty classroom and stopped once his gaze fell on the chalkboard eraser. Laughing snidely, he procured said eraser and headed toward the door.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Sakura demanded, rising from her chair. "Hey, Naruto!"

Sasuke bit her lip to keep from laughing. Instead of stopping Naruto, she opted to watch.

"Just having a bit of fun is all!" Naruto laughed. "It's his fault for being late."

"You're so stupid, Naruto," the pink-haired girl argued, but Sasuke could tell that she was excited. The brunet laughed inwardly as Naruto shuffled back to his seat. Again, the newly created three-man team waited.

For once, they didn't have to wait long. Footsteps rose in crescendo outside the classroom. A gloved hand slipped in through the crack in the doorway and slowly slipped it open. Kakashi's masked face appeared in the space, and the eraser plopped onto his already gray hair. Naruto began to crack up hysterically, while Sakura blabbered apologizes over and over again. Sasuke covered her smile with her hand. Same old Kakashi-sensei.

The jounin plucked the eraser off the hardwood floor and stared at it for just a moment. He turned to the team, hand stroking a fake beard and smiled. "Well…my first impression is…

"I don't like you. At all."

Yup. Typical.

-0-0-0-

Tw** o**

**F i** **g h** **t**

**-0-0-0-**

The single visible eye scrutinized his students carefully, before transforming into and upside down 'u.' The pink-haired girl on the right, Haruno Sakura, was fidgeting nervously, obviously doubtful in her own abilities. She had some of the best grades in class, but when it came to taijutsu, she was lacking.

Meanwhile, the Fourth's son, Uzumaki Naruto, had a very very stupid look on his face. He may look somewhat like their great leader, but when it came to sheer skill and talent, Naruto was far off. Kakashi sighed. Something tells him that this team will not be so easily handled.

The one who sat in the middle was an Uchiha. A female, but an Uchiha nonetheless. She had inherited her mother's grace and beauty, and her father's skill and precision, allowing her to graduate at the top. However, there was something about her that made Uchiha Sasuke different from the rest, and Kakashi couldn't put his finger on it.

But then he saw the flicker in her eye as she glanced towards Naruto, and it all clicked. He had to stop himself from laughing aloud. That was it.

Uchiha Sasuke was in love…with an idiot. Poor girl.

But he was digressing. _Time to get this show on the road! _"Alrighty, then. Time to introduce yourselves."

"What should we say," Sakura piped up, her voice quivering in nervousness.

_Are these kids that stupid? _"You're name. Likes, dislikes, dreams, hobbies," the sensei tiredly answered.

"Hey. Why don't you say something, so that we get the idea?" the blond demanded, arms waving up and down. Kakashi was beginning to like the girl in the middle; she didn't talk.

"Fine. My name is Hatake Kakashi. I have no desire to tell you my likes or dislikes. My hobbies are…My dreams are…absolutely none of your business. Your turn."

Sasuke giggled slightly, and Naruto immediately noticed. _No way! Does she go for older men? Damnit!_

_Geez. I expected as much but it's as funny as it is annoying._

"We learned nothing but his name," Sakura pointed out, her lips forming a pout. She turned to Naruto, allowing the blond to go first. Naruto accepted the chance with much enthusiasm.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I'm the son of the Fourth!"

Kakashi shrugged. Naruto glared, but continued. "I love ramen, and I hate the three minute wait for the ramen to cook. My dream is to someday be like my father and become Hokage!" He struck a powerful pose and then adjusted his headband before returning to his seat, satisfied. He glanced over his shoulder at Sasuke, hoping for a good reaction, but was disappointed at the apathetic expression gracing her beautiful features. He sighed, defeated.

"You next," the jounin motioned toward the pink-haired girl.

"My name is Haruno Sakura!" she merrily started. "I like shopping, reading, and manga. I hate…idiotic boys, (at this time, she glowered at Naruto) and my dream is…well, I have no idea." She laughed softly to herself before settling down onto the staircase. Kakashi dismissed her as a typical teenager and gestured to Sasuke to begin.

The girl looked up, her black eyes boring into his own. Kakashi raised an eyebrow. _She knows _something_. How odd. _He was struck out of his thoughts by her voice. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I don't like a lot of things, but I hate failure. My dreams are to someday surpass my brother and…" A long pause ensued. The three others turned to face her.

Sasuke blushed slightly, but forced herself to continue. "…To become a better person for a certain somebody."

_Who? Who damnit!?_ Naruto's mind screamed. Sakura giggled and Kakashi smiled softly. _I knew it!_

"Well, now that we're done with introductions, the next thing I say will totally make you flip!" Kakashi laughed as if he was sharing an inside joke with himself. His subordinates, however, classified him as a maniac. After several more chuckles, the jounin continued. "Out of the twenty-seven graduates, only nine will be chose as genin. The rest must return to the academy."

Naruto and Sakura jumped up in protest, while Sasuke yawned and flipped her long locks over her shoulder. "What do you mean only nine!? The graduation tests were only to choose who would qualify?" Sakura asked.

"WHAAAAAAAAT??" was Naruto's only capable answer.

"That's correct. Tomorrow there will be a survival test. Be at the grounds at around five in the morning," he turned around and felt the students stir to go. He raised his hand, and they stilled. "On more thing. Don't eat breakfast."

"Why?" Sakura was stupid enough to inquire.

Kakashi turned his head and smirked. "Wouldn't want you throwing up, now, would I?"

The two ignorant ninja shuddered. Sasuke yawned again and decided to schedule some more sleep for tonight. The three walked up the stairs and left, Sakura chattering excitedly, and worriedly over tomorrow's events. Naruto's mind fumbled in turmoil.

One: the survival exam.

Two: the embarrassing, perverting thing he did this morning.

Three: Sasuke was in love with someone.

Who?

The word swirled around his stomach and head, generating butterflies and a headache. It hurt to think too much. He sighed and nearly screamed and jumped when a hand had touched his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Sasuke, with a warmhearted smile on her face. Her hand was extended out towards him. Reluctantly, he took it.

"You want to go out for some ramen?" she asked, her head slightly tilting to the right in an adorable fashion. "Think of it as a teambuilding exercise and a way to make amends for today." She flustered a little then turned around. "You're paying."

"Oh," Naruto breathed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his feeble sized frog wallet, and then cursed his father for not giving him a bigger allowance. He looked up at her, embarrassed, defeated, and smiled crookedly. "Heh…well, I'm…"

Sasuke elegantly raised an eyebrow, and smirked. Tauntingly, she placed her fisted hands at her hips, sighed exasperatedly and then retrieved her own wallet from her bag. She fished out several bills, fanning them in the air, the whole time jeering at her blond haired companion. Naruto glared, absolutely annoyed by her implied superiorty, but he couldn't bring himself to hate her. After all, she was a goddess.

"I'm paying then, meaning you owe me even more," she coldly threw her hair over her shoulder and sauntered toward Ichiraku Ramen Shop. The captivated ninja gladly followed her.

Inside, the old man turned and gladly greeted the two teens. "Here to spend more of your father's money, eh?" he joked.

"Actually, I'm paying," Sasuke informed.

The young woman frowned and then scolded Naruto. "You can't let your girlfriend pay for you. That's wrong!" and then to Sasuke, "What possessed you to go out with this idiot?!"

"Girlfriend!? No! That's no it! Why would I go out with--"Naruto stopped himself completely. The real question he had been asking himself was why wouldn't he go out with her. Blue eyes turned to see her reaction. For a split second, he swore he saw a twinge of sadness and regret. But the apathetic mask returned.

Sasuke's answer was a shrug. "I'll have whatever Naruto's getting," she said.

"The usual, then," grumbled Naruto.

The two ramen shop owners nodded and proceeded to finish up their orders. Sasuke sipped casually on her water, trying her best to not allow her frustration to surface. _What _is _Naruto's type then? Does he still like Sakura? _She cursed underneath her breath, scolding herself. _There's no need to jump to conclusions. I have to play this game properly. _

Few minutes of awkward silence passed and the ramen orders were finally completed and placed in front of them. Naruto ripped apart the chopsticks, starved and excited. " Itadakimasu!" the blond announced, and he began to devour his food messily. Beside him, Sasuke muttered the same thing and gracefully took the chopsticks. The young woman laughed aloud at the irony of their differences.

By the time Naruto was already finished, he had begun staring at Sasuke intently. The way she raised the food to her plump lips and swallowed…_No! Don't go there. Damn…_Naruto banged his head on the countertop, and turned all attention towards him. Sasuke blinked and sighed. Reluctantly, she shoved her ramen towards him.

"Take it. I'm not that hungry, anyway."

"Really!? Thanks!" Naruto reached for his chopsticks and tried eating it slowly, like Sasuke did. It felt ridiculous, so he just ate the rest of it quickly and cleaned himself up with a napkin. The old man handed them a bill and Sasuke placed the money on the counter and left.

Nighttime was beginning to fall. The two teammates walked home toward the Hokage tower in an eerie silence. _Should I say something? _Sasuke tried thinking of a simple topic, something even an idiot like Naruto would understand. Much to her chagrin, nothing came up. She sighed.

"Uh…Thanks for the dinner. I had a great time!" Naruto said, flashing her a thumbs-up.

"Hn." She nodded. Turning on her heel, she waved her hand in a simple good bye and started her way back to the compound. Naruto blinked after her. Something in his brain kept telling him that he was doing something wrong. Of course, being the nitwit he was, the blond shrugged it off and entered the huge building.

-0-0-0

"You let her…walk home alone?!" his mother's screech filled the hallways, and almost shattered Naruto's glass of water.

After taking a gulp and placing the cup on the table, Naruto shrugged and answered, "Is there something wrong with that?"

Uzumaki Kushina, Naruto's feisty, bright, and happy redheaded mother, let out an exasperated breath and leaned back onto the soft recliner. She glanced over at the man leaning against the counter, smiling handsomely, her husband. "The boy has inherited your idiotic ways of love," she commented, waving her hand disapprovingly.

"Well, I got the girl, didn't I?" Minato murmured, and then shrugged much like his son. "She treated you to dinner…how disappointing. You need to learn how to be a real man." He gave Kushina a look that stated, _Don't you DARE comment. _She giggled.

"Well, if you gave me a raise in my allowance…" Naruto attempted to manipulate the situation. However, his parents were too clever and childlike, and then both gave an automatic "No" to his request. The teenager groaned again and stomped up the stairs, yelling good nights from his bedroom.

Kushina laughed again, and turned to her husband, who was currently finishing his son's water. "Yup. More like you everyday."

Minato glanced at her questioningly and then sighed. "An Uchiha, eh? Naruto's going to have huge trouble." He smiled, looking back fondly on old memories and friends. Finally, he shook his head, looked up at the ceiling. "Well, it's about time. I was almost worried that he was…you know."

Again, his wife laughed. Oh, how much he loved that sound.

-0-0-0-

Mikoto didn't quite understand why, but she complied with Sasuke's demands to make a full breakfast that morning. And she was almost shocked at the speed her daughter devoured said meal. Perhaps her new sensei told her to do so. She was pleased with that thought and said nothing more on the matter. Fugaku was glad that she was eating healthily, and Itachi left the table, claiming that he had lost his appetite.

"I'll be going now! Wish me luck," Sasuke cheerily, and uncharacteristically said, before slipping on her sandals and skipping off.

Mikoto glanced at her husband, who casually dunked down the rest of his tea. He looked up. "Yup. She found a boy. Now, I wonder when it'll be Itachi's turn." He eyed said man carefully, questioningly.

Their eldest son blinked, shrugged, and left.

-0-0-0-

Sasuke arrived at the grounds at five sharp, even though she knew all too well that Kakashi probably wouldn't come until three hours later. She sighed and plopped on the grass. Two seconds later, Sakura stumbled onto the scene, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Morning, Sasuke-chan," she said. Sasuke acknowledged her with a nod.

Few moments later, a yawning, drowsy Uzumaki Naruto staggered towards the two females. As soon as he reached the patch of grass, which they sat upon, he collapsed into a fit of snores and drool. Sasuke giggled, and Sakura would too, if she weren't so hungry and tired.

Three hours later, the three of them, one well-rested and full, and the other two exhausted and starved, jumped up in surprise as Kakashi-sensei materialized in a giant poof of smoke. Jovial, he waved his hand casually, acting perfectly normal, as if he was never late at all. "Yo. What's up?" the outline of his smile was apparent underneath the tight fabric of his mask.

"Is that all you can say!?" Naruto and Sakura screamed, anger suddenly fueling them with energy.

Sasuke sat on the grass, frowning in disapproval. Kakashi's antics never ceased to vex her so. She watched as Kakashi attempted to calm her teammates before standing up and flipping a kunai in her fingers. "Well, what's next on the agenda?" she asked as calming as she could. But she knew, as well as Kakashi, that her blood was boiling with excitement. _I haven't fought in a while. Time to see if anything's changed._

"It seems as if one of you has grasped the situation," the silver-haired jounin commented, pushing his two attacking subordinates aside. His hand reached behind him and out from his back pocket he pulled two bells. He watched in amusement at the fascination radiating from the children's eyes. Sasuke remained indifferent. Slowly, he shook them, their sound filling up the empty, but tense atmosphere of the training grounds. After tossing them in the air, catching them and tying them securely onto his belt, he continued. "Two bells. Three people. One of you will not pass."

He waited for the initial shock fade from their eyes. Sternly, "You need to come at me with an intent to kill. Whoever doesn't get a bell by noon gets tied up to those polls and I get to eat their lunch in their faces!" He said the last part with such a sarcastic humor, meant to annoy people. Naruto and Sakura clutched tightly onto their stomachs, blushing at the growling noises.

"You'll be sent back to the academy if you fail. We'll start when I say--"

The sentence remained unfinished. At full speed, Naruto lunged, fist first, kunai in hand, at his sensei. Everything that happened next was a blur, and Sasuke almost cursed his luck as a woman. If she wielded the Sharingan, then perhaps she would've caught the gimmick that Kakashi performed. Somehow, the jounin had flipped their positions so that Naruto was on the defensive, with his kunai pointing at his own head. Still smiling, the man whispered, "I hadn't said, 'Go' yet. But I'm glad you seem to understand the situation as well." He twisted the boy's arm for extra effect, and then let Naruto go.

Kakashi waved his hand with a flourish. "Now…let us begin. Ready, set, GO!"

-0-0-0-

Thank you for your reviews. Please add more. Thank you very much.

**DarkMiko13** – Yeah. It's so difficult for me to write and think of long chapters, but thank you so much for your review.

**Stoic Sol** – Thank you for your review. Of course, JealousFemale!Sasuke is coming up soon, because she's cool like that. And since Hinata is so shy, well, you get the picture.

**my name IS a flower** – Thank you. What do you know, here's the next update!

**Alexwill22** – Thank you very much for your support!

**DrownMySoul** –I love your review; it made me all warm and fuzzy inside. And here's the update for you! I'm glad I could inspire you, as well.

**Chaos Jester Power** – Yay for my first reviewer. Thank you so much for your support.

And for those who alerted and favorite, thank you so much. I love you all!

My stories always start small, but I'm hoping that they'll grow to be so much more.


	3. Bonds

All is well right now! I'm so happy that reviews are coming in for my story. And even if they weren't, it'll be a disappointment to the fans who started reading, but never got to see the end.

This story has already been planned on pieces of paper scattered in my house somewhere, so I know what's going to happen and how the characters are going to react. So it's not some random story written from the top of my head as I sit at the computer. It has a plot.

But be aware that changes to the manga line are obviously put in the story because someone knows a little too much!

Reminder, please! Can you guys vote at the poll on my profile page? I'll greatly appreciate it!

Replies to your reviews are at the bottom of the page. Please enjoy and review.

-0-0-0-

A tension, so great, so haunting, so eerie, coated the training grounds in an invisible mist. This feeling was something you can only sense in your heart – a feeling of fear, excitement; an ultimate high. Dangerous, deadly, it squeezes every ounce of blood in your body, heating it, pumping it, circulating it, and giving you life. It's this feeling, an extremely addicting drug that ninjas live for. The predominate euphoria that fuels you for the battle of a lifetime.

Standing in the middle of the field, Hatake Kakashi felt that paradise. A shinobi well known for his tact, speed, and jutsu, Kakashi was familiar with this _drug_ that had made so many great shinobi gone awry. Everyone had felt it. He felt it now, digging deep into his system, warning him, preparing him. He smiled casually to himself. There was something different about this team, separating them from the others. And it all lay on that Uchiha girl.

His sharp eyes perused the battlefield, hunting for his possible subordinates. They seem to have hidden quite well, a tactic that all ninja should accomplish. Just then, he laughed, a low, hearty chuckle. There were exceptions to every rule.

"Hyaaaaaaa!" the army of Uzumaki Narutos screeched, lunging straight forward, like a herd of stubborn, stupid boars. The description fit quite well, actually. He continued charging, even as Kakashi had disappeared from sight. It took the blond a whole ten seconds to realize that his target had vanished.

Ten seconds to late. Kakashi had taken the blond's arm roughly, and tossed him into the lake near-by effortlessly. Naruto squealed, writhing in the water, gulping down a mixture of oxygen and liquid. "You bastard! I'm gonna kill you and get that bell if it's the last thing I do!"

"Then stop talking and get to it," jeered the silver-haired jounin, again casually tossing the bells into the air.

_Now! _Quick, agile fingers aimed and fired the kunai right at the bells, slamming them into a tree near-by. Kakashi glanced at the direction the knifes were thrown from, and found that no one was there. He raised his eyebrow questioningly.

_I wonder…what's her secret? In any case, time for the ultimate test._

He reached into his pouch and procured two extremely sharp kunai, gifts from the Fourth himself. _I'm sorry, sensei. _

And Kakashi dashed straight for Naruto.

-0-0-0-

T h r **e **e

**B o n d s**

-0-0-0-

It had happened so quickly. Sasuke mentally kicked herself over and over again as she stood at the base of the oak tree on which the bells hung, ready for the taking. However, the figures in the water made her pause in shock and fury. Kakashi held the knife to the blond idiot's throat, and his gaze met her eyes. In secret, silent communication, the Sasuke realized that it was either the bells, or her friend.

The mission, or the teammate.

She laughed silently, and took one step away from the tree. Kakashi smiled, in a very kn0w-it-all way, and pointed another kunai in different direction. Sasuke turned her head and again mentally cursed herself. Sakura had another clone behind her, and a threatening shuriken pointed straight at the nape of her neck.

"Your teammate or the bells. You seem to have chosen. Now…which teammate?"

There was a pause, before Sasuke decided to waste her breath on more curses. "You low bastard. Why?"

Without hesitation, "You seem to know more than you let on. I won't ask you to divulge the details here. So let's make a deal." His grip on the two hostages loosened only slightly. But Sasuke knew that he had no intention of letting them go just yet. "You get the bells and give them to me. Then, later, I'll ask you a question, and you give me your honest answer. That's all."

"One question," Sasuke stated. "You get to ask just one question."

"It's a deal, then?"

A nod. Sasuke reached behind her and wiggled the kunai holding the bells free. She threw it straight at Kakashi, who caught it gracefully between his fingers. Both clones disappeared, leaving the hostages in their former positions.

"What was that?" Sakura demanded, breathing heavily.

Naruto stood up, and brushed his orange pants off. He muttered a few obscenities under his breath and then walked over to his two female teammates. "Never mind that. Noon is in half an hour and we still haven't gotten a single bell. What should we do?"

The bubble-gum girl pouted and crossed her arms defensively. "What do you mean, 'we?' If there are only two bells then--"

"You should be able to see through the façade by now," Sasuke calmly stated, twirling a shuriken dangerously in her fingers. She threw it to the ground. "Let's say this is our base of strategy and that Kakashi is the target holding two forbidden scrolls that we have to obtain. True, if we don't come at him, intending to kill him, then we'll loose. But killing isn't the point. You're supposed to distract and procure." She put her hands on her hips and sighed. "Of course, that'll be difficult with only one person. We need at least two, and three would be even better."

Sakura nodded in agreement, but even she had to argue. "Who would get the bells in the end?"

There was a small silence. The three students looked at each other, unsure, afraid. After all, whoever gives a bell up gets sent back into the Academy, putting their whole career at stake. Finally, Naruto cringed and raised his hand. "I--"

"I'll go," Sasuke's tone was finite, indicating that discussion has ended. "I won't take a bell. Now, let's get going before time is up."

-0-0-0-

Reclined against the tree and basking in the relief of shade, Kakashi casually flipped a page of his romance novel (or porn) and yawned. The pattern of the wood bark buried deep into his back and the jounin shifted slightly to get into a more comfortable position. He turned another page, took one glance at the timer atop the trunk and sighed.

_Do those kids seriously think they can get a bell in five minutes? _

As if right on cue, Sakura burst onto the field, and threw several weapons straight at him. Kakashi stood up, ducked and dodged, and caught a few effortlessly. Sakura frowned in frustration, but continued to attack. She zoomed towards him, fierce determination firing her jade eyes, and then she ducked right between his legs.

Kakashi looked down for a second, and Naruto jumped from the tree and onto his sensei's back, while Sakura stabbed Kakashi in the leg. The figure transformed into a log and a poof of smoke, almost catching the two off guard. Almost.

"We got it!" Naruto yelled.

Their sensei appeared at the base of the tree, raising a flippant eyebrow and holding the bells. He let them sway for a few seconds for effect before setting them back into his pocket. "Got what?" He asked, smirking.

"This," Sakura said.

And from her back pocket, she pulled out Kakashi's latest volume of the Icha Icha Paradise series.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" from the trees, a voice announced loudly. A fireball aimed straight at Kakashi, who jumped out of the way fluidly. Sasuke stepped down from the branches, a smirk formed over her plump, perfectly shaped lips. She flipped in the air, and yelled, "Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!" and quickly performed the necessary hand signs. Blazing tails danced around the battled field, and one just so happened to singe the corner of Kakashi's precious book.

"Well, then, sensei," Sakura teased, holding the book with her index finger and thumb, allowing it to swing tauntingly in the air. "If you don't want Sasuke to blow up your precious pornography, give us the bells."

Kakashi froze and stroked a fake beard in false contemplation. Naruto sighed, and he waved at Sasuke impatiently. Sasuke's fingers moved quickly and she opened her mouth, but Kakashi raised his hand and said, "Fine."

The three students stared at their teacher, their eyes swirling with a mixture of bewilderment and gratefulness. They stepped forward towards the bells, and Naruto bent down to pick them up. For a second, they just stared, and Naruto jiggled them in the palm of his hand, and raised them up high.

"Guys! We did it! We--"

Without warning, the ground below them caved in, pulling the three unsuspecting genin in. Screaming, Sasuke caught the edge of the hole, and glared up at Kakashi's smirk. For in the silver-haired jounin's hand were two silver bells, mocking with their beautiful melody playing in the wind. "A ninja must always be prepared for anything!" he said. He pulled out _another copy of his book _and returned to his reclining position beneath the tree.

Cursing, Sasuke tried pulling herself up, but her upper arm strength as a woman couldn't compare to her previous life. And on top of that, someone was clinging precariously to her ankle, and another had their arms wrapped around her waist. "Grr…One of you try clinging to the walls, already!" And suddenly, the weight on her ankles was gone, and for a moment, she was worried that one of her companions fell. But Sakura had found a foothold and was clutching desperately to the wall.

"You okay, Sakura?" she called.

A grunt. "Yeah!"

Sasuke looked down at the blond spikes of hair and sighed. "Yo, dobe! Get off of me al…PERVERT!"

Kakashi choked on his own saliva and craned his neck to peer down the hole. He laughed. Naruto's face was definitely in the wrong position. Sasuke kicked, screamed and yelled out profanities that should be unknown to a girl her age. Finally, after a fit of strength, she managed to smack a-covered-with-bruises Naruto up and out of the hole. The blond, embarrassed, rubbed the back of his head before offering his hand to his teammates. By the time they were pulled up, the clock struck twelve and time was up.

The three sat at the poles, silently staring at each other in a secret conversation. Kakashi approached them with bento boxes and a smile. "Congratulations. You're all complete failures who couldn't even obtain a bell."

"Oh, shut up!" Naruto complained, clutching his stomach in frustration. He would lunge at the older man again, but his body growled in protest.

Kakashi smacked the loudmouth student with one of the bento boxes and continued. "There is a key to every test, and I think some of you figured that key out. My question is…how?" He eyed the Uchiha girl carefully. "How do you know?"

An awkward silence ensued. Finally, she spoke, each word calculated, each word like falling icicles. "Who knows? Maybe I read minds? Maybe I just know what might happen?" She smiled devilishly and leaned back against the poll. "That's my answer, at least."

"I don't get it," Sakura said.

Kakashi opted to ignore her, and then set the bento boxes down. "I could fail you for cheating, but…"

"…but a ninja must know how to obtain information without the second party's consent. Therefore, I didn't cheat. I simply completed the mission," Sasuke stated in a matter-of-factly tone.

"Ah. A wise argument. Then again, that is, in an abstract way, disobeying your commanding officer," he disagreed, kicking the boxes towards his students. He watched Naruto and Sakura devour theirs vigorously, while Sasuke hesitantly picked up the chopsticks, her questioning glower never once leaving his own gaze.

Naruto leaned over and whispered into Sakura's ear, a noodle hanging from his lips. "Do you think that Kakashi might send us back? Or worse!? Tell my dad to forbid me from being a ninja!?" He slurped up the noodle and nearly broke into tears. He screamed, "NOO! I worked to hard to give up now! Damn it!"

"Would you be quiet?" the girl demanded, slamming her bento onto his hand. "Geez, Naruto. You're really annoying."

"Ouch. That hurt, Sakura-chan," he pouted.

Kakashi turned around, and held up three fingers. "I have three choices for you. One: You go back to the academy since you failed at obtaining a bell. Try again next year. Two: Seeing as I hold a personal vendetta against you, and it took until the last half hour of the test to figure out the test, I could totally fail you and make sure your ninja careers end here," he spat out the latter out of spit. The three students winced, and prayed in hope. Kakashi's features softened. "Or, since I'm totally bored and I think having an idiot, a no-talent girl, and someone who's just plain weird (when the students were addressed, they tossed dagger glares at their sensei) for a team might be interesting, and you did figure things out in the end…I'll let you ALL pass."

"YAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!" Naruto screeched, jumping up and down and embracing a relieved Sasuke. "Sasuke! It's all thanks to your thinking that we made it. You're just so awesome!"

Sasuke's face was tomato red and she fidgeted slightly, staring at her hands. "Th-thanks, dobe." His arms felt warm, and secure. Something she's always dreamed about. Unconsciously, her own hand rose and touched Naruto's gently, and then his arm shied away.

"Sorry," the both murmured in unison.

An uncomfortable cough from Kakashi's direction alerted the three ninjas. They gazed up at their sensei, who smiled and waved. "If you both done here. It's no fun unless somebody gets tied to the pole. Let's take a vote!"

"Naruto," Sakura said coldly.

"Naruto," Sasuke stated simply.

"Naruto," Kakashi cheered, brandishing his arms like pom-poms.

"Damnit," said Naruto, as he was heaved up from his sitting position and tied onto the pole, stomach still growling all the way.

-0-0-0-

It was raining heavily that night. She sat on the window sill, hands resting atop a piece of paper and a pen, her back supported by a pillow she stole from the downstairs living room. Thunder shook the grounds, lighting illuminated shadows of things that desired to be hidden, but Sasuke ignored the storm. She merely concentrated on the task at hand.

A letter. A friendly letter. How does one person write such a thing?

Then again, it was more than just a simple friendly letter. It was a confession, something that she needed to pour her entire heart and soul into. To prove how much she loved him, and desired forgiveness. Sasuke held fast to his thoughts…forgiveness. Not likely, seeing that Naruto doesn't remember a single thing.

She closed her eyes, and wondered what it would be like, to meet the old Naruto, the one she had killed in her previous life. Kyuubi said that he loved him. To what extent? She shook her head, deciding it best not to worry about something so complex; something that no one had an answer to.

Frowning, she glared at the blank slate of paper taunting her, laughing at her. She groaned and tossed the thing aside, and then plopped on her bead, exhausted. _I'm so confused. What should I do? _She turned over and used the pillow to muffle the sounds of the storm raging outside. Clenching her fists and clamping her eyes shut, she tried to block out all the thoughts in her head, and tried to fall asleep. Finally, after hours of deep meditation, the melody of rain pattering on the windowpane and the slowly fading roaring clap of thunder lulled her into a restless sleep.

-0-0-0-

Naruto just now realized something: never ask your parents for advice on love, no matter how 'cool' or 'hip' they claimed to be. The conversations that sparked during diner that night couldn't just be described as awkward, or embarrassing – the were just downright…wrong. So he slammed his utensils onto his plate while his parents laughed at their own inside jokes that don't even make sense, and then left to his room.

The storm outside did nothing to calm his irritation. He sighed again, resting his head against the cool wood, mind wandering. Today, he had touched her…in the wrong place. Of course, it was totally on accident; he had to save himself, so he managed to grab her waist. He didn't expect his face to be right in between her creamy, white thighs, and she should really stop wearing white short shorts, because that just attracts attention and…

"_**You're babbling, kiddo."**_

Jolting upright, Naruto scanned the room for the source of the mysterious, feral voice. It was low, powerful, rumbling, much like you imagined god's voice, or perhaps the devils. "God?" Naruto called, incredulously.

"_**You're as stupid as ever, kit."**_

"That's not very nice," Naruto commented. He walked to his closet, threw the door open and dove inside, digging and throwing orange clothing in all sorts of directions. Still nothing. He checked under the bed, the sheets, in drawers, in his pockets, and still found nothing. Finally, he sat up, kunai in hand, and demanded, "Who are you?"

"_**Relax, kit. I can't kill you where I am right now. And even if I did, I'd die too."**_

By this time, Naruto's dimwitted brain couldn't handle much longer. The blond spun around and around, making himself even more dizzy then necessary, before he fell onto his bed, a massive headache destroying all rational thought. The voice sighed, exasperatedly. The kit was always making things even more difficult than he had planned. But that was just Naruto, after all.

"_**Really. Why do I always get stuck with the idiots?" **_said Kyuubi. If you could see the demon fox smirk, then even you would run away.

-0-0-0-

Thank you all so much for your support.And here are your replies.

**Alexwill22: **Well, I thought that it would be cruel to Sasuke to have her future lover change too much of his personality. He'll still be an idealist, thanks to his father's influence. Thank you for your review and your compliments. I really didn't like last chapter, and I'm not sure about this one either. Oh, and your question has been answered here.

**EdSpikeSesshyGirl: **Yay! A new reviewer! Thank you so much! I didn't think that this story would be a good story, but you just made my day!

**My name IS a flower: **Brownies…yum. **eats vigorously** Thank you so much for your review. And here's another update for you. (Surprisingly, that rhymed).

**MoroTheWolfGod: **Thank you so much for your review. I'm glad you enjoyed my story.

**MoonLightSaki: **Well, Itachi's going to have his own special episode sometime at the end of the Zabuza arch or something. And yes, he'll be a funny brother, because I love him so! Thank you for your review!

**Darknight11447: **Another new reviewer! Thank you so much for your support. I never consider my stories well written because I'm nitpicky like that, but thank you very much.

**Stoic Sol: **I made Kakashi all knowing, because I figured that Sasuke needed some sort of mental antagonist, and Kakashi seemed to fit the bill because he always hits close to home. I love him. Glad to know that you like how this is turning out. Thank you so much for your support!

**DrownMySoul – **Thank you so much! I never considered my writing skills to be that great, but thank you for your support. And don't worry about the Sharingan…heh.

Read and review! Please and thank you. (I have a habit to rhyme unintentionally).


	4. Payment

Thank you again for your reviews. As always, the replies are at the bottom of the story. One more thing…

**Can you all please vote in the poll at my profile? **I would really appreciate it, and it'll help me set my priorities straight, since that's a task most challenging for me.

And there's a little bit of Sasuke female trouble in here, too! And you'd probably want to kill me at the end of the chapter for a cliffy!

Anyway, on with the story. Please review and enjoy.

-0-0-0-

"I'm not an idiot," Naruto protested, somehow managing to sit up. However, his head spun from too much thinking, and he slumped against the headrest, rubbing his temples with his fingers. He blinked the white stars away from his eyes and took several deep breaths, a tactic his father taught him to relieve headaches, and then closed his eyes. "Who are you?"

"_**My name is Kyuubi, kit. I'm a Bijuu, a huge concentration of chakra in the form of a demon. I also happen to be the strongest," **_the demon said the last part with noticeable pride. _**"I reside inside you."**_

Naruto's eyes widened and he patted his stomach questioningly. "You mean, you're like my baby or something?'

An long pause followed the odd statement. Irritated, the Kyuubi continued, _**"You are the most dense idiot I've ever known. I have no idea why I got stuck with you again. Perhaps it's because I took over your dying body in the end, and I used it to channel the power. Well, no matter. I'm not here to hurt you, kit. And besides, even if I did, that Uchiha girl will get on my tail. Whoops. I mean 'tails.'" **_There was extra emphasis on the word 'girl' and the kitsune laughed heartily, fully, at his own joke. Naruto didn't comprehend it at all.

"Slow down!" the blond yelled, kicking his legs in frustration. "I'm so confused. What does this have to do with Sasuke?"

"_**Of course, you'd only catch the part pertaining to your intended. Everything. It has everything to do with **_**her**_**," **_came the simple, flat reply. And Naruto swore he heard the Kyuubi chuckle darkly, and that very sound sent shivers down the host's spine. _**"You know, I can read your thoughts. And I often laugh at the daydreams you have about her. He's…she's pretty blessed."**_

Again, Naruto threw himself into a tantrum, tossing pillows in all directions, making even more of a mess. "I don't get it. Would you shut up and explain!? (Kyuubi didn't bother to correct the obvious contradiction in his statement) All I get is that you read my mind, you exist inside me, you're a fox demon, and you know something about Sasuke." He breathed slowly and then settled himself onto his bed. "Are you like, my other half or something?"

"_**Viewing it that way could help alleviate the stress on your incompetant brain,"**_ mocked Kyuubi casually. _**"Listen to me, kit. Now that I'm stuck inside you, I don't plan on interfering. You could say that I've become…used to this. Besides, an idiot like you could really use my help."**_

Naruto groaned at the insult. "If you're gonna stay inside of my body, then stop calling me an idiot." His mind racked for reasons why the statement sounded so wrong. Kyuubi warned him not to think too much, or his brain my spontaneously combust. Naruto pouted.

"_**I'm just here to observe and mock, that's all. But with me inside you, many people will be after this power. So when you harness your chakra, be careful not to harness mine unless in extreme emergency. One more thing…" **_

"What is it?"

He heard Kyuubi laugh again. _**"Tell Uchiha Sasuke that Kyuubi says hello."**_

-0-0-0-

It was the thunder that pulled her to sleep, and it was the thunder that roused her from it. She moaned, tired and sore and craned her neck to check the clock on the bedside table. 3:00 AM? Why would anybody be up at this dead hour? She sat up, yawned, and placed her toes on the cold hardwood floor. The contact made her shiver, but she slipped out of the soothingly warm covers anyway and walked out into the hallway.

The light in her brother's room was on. Shadows danced on the walls, generated by the light slipping in through the cracks in the door. Hesitantly, she slid the door open, and Itachi and their father looked up from the open window, a mixture of worry and confusion on their faces. "Sasuke? Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"A loud crash woke me up. Was it the thunder?" her voice was surprisingly shaky and her sore throat made it hard for her to articulate clearly. Sasuke's eyes flickered to the window and she caught a glimpse of flame. Her eyes widened. "What happened?"

"Telephone pole broke down. Shisui's house caught on fire," Fugaku calmly stated. "Everything's fine though. He managed to get his parents and himself out of the house."

Sasuke let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, and then eyed her brother's reaction carefully. As always, stoic and apathetic, but anyone who knew him well could catch a glint of relief in his eye. She smiled. Shisui-nii was their cousin, and someone Itachi always held in high esteem. Of course, she was jealous of the attention he received from his usually inattentive brother, but Shisui's wacky personality was something that was hard to dislike. On top of that, she loved the cat that he owned. It was cute, sweet and playful and looked like a walking Oreo. A fear hung above her, and she couldn't help but inquire anxiously: "What about the cat? What about Oreo?"

Itachi laughed lightly and put a warm hand on her shoulder. Lifting up two fingers, his index and middle, he poked her forehead gently, still smiling, and eyes dancing with amusement. "Yes. Oreo's fine. Shisui saved her for you. Said something reckless that Princess Sasuke would be upset if her pet got hurt."

The familiar gesture immediately brightened her up, and she smiled. A shaky hand skimmed lightly over the skin Itachi had just touched. Something wet trailed down her cheek. Immediately, instinctively, her brother's face transformed from cheerful to worried. "What's wrong?"

Sasuke lifted up her arm and briskly brushed the tears away. "Nothing. I'm just happy, that's all." _Happy your back. Happy everyone's back. Happy that I got a second chance, even though it's something I really don't deserve. _He nodded at her reaction, still worried, but grew content with the smile embellishing her lips. They exchanged good nights and Sasuke slipped back into the hallway, into her room, and underneath the comforting sheets. This time, sleep took hold of her quickly.

-0-0-0-

**O **n e W **e e **k L **a **t e r

-0-0-0-

"MOM!"

Mikoto's head titled up towards the ceiling, and she glanced back down at her cooking. She sighed tiredly, "Coming, Sasuke."

"MOM!"

"I said I was coming!" the woman turned down the stove, rushed to the sink and quickly rinsed the grease out of her hands. Mikoto looked young for her age, and very beautiful, but her hands, tired, wrinkling, and dirty, were the dead-give-away's of her age. It never bothered her; those hands were the proof of her hard-work and motherly care. Shaking her hands and drying them on her apron, she sauntered up the stairs.

"Sasuke. Where are you, dearie?" she called. Mikoto opened the door to her daughter's room, and found her nowhere in sight. The mother walked down the hallway, heart thumping at the urgency she sensed in Sasuke's voice.

Itachi stood outside the bathroom door, dressed in gray slacks, glancing impatiently at his watch and towel and T-shirt over his shoulder. He sighed and banged on the door three times. "Sasuke! Get out of the bathroom already! I never knew you were such a girl."

"IT'S NOTHING COMPARED TO YOU, PRETTY BOY!" his little sister screeched. Itachi raised an elegant eyebrow at the insult, and took a step back. After counting to three, he charged at the door, shoulder first, only to hit his head on the opening door. Sasuke looked down and smirked at the sight of her all-powerful brother rubbing his head in pain on the floor. She then looked up and saw her mother, frowning disapprovingly at the scene. "Mom. I'm having an emergency."

"My, what is it?" Mikoto asked. She helped her eldest son up, who was again staring at his watch and tapping his foot, his face annoyed.

Sasuke fidgeted slightly, and open her mouth as if to say something. She clamped it shut, rearranging her thoughts, and then tried to speak. All that came out was a quiet mewl, a whimper. "Say something already!" Itachi muttered, glaring at his sister. He was _so_ going to be late for work and then Minato was _so _going to chew him in!

Finally, the girl blurted, "I'm bleeding!"

Itachi breathed a sigh of relief. "At least your not pregnant. Get a band-aid then." He moved towards the bathroom, but his sister blocked the entrance with her arms and a shake of her head. She glowered at him, lower lip jutting out in a pout.

"It's not…that."

Mikoto immediately snapped the pieces together. As all mothers do, she rushed over to her daughter and fawned over her, kissing Sasuke's hair, smiling lovingly. "Oh! My little girl is all grown up!"

An uncomfortable pause. "Oh. Oh!" Itachi repeats, blinking and scratching the back of his head. "Heh. Awkward."

Sasuke blushed.

At this time, Fugaku casually stepped out of the parent's bathroom, a robe tied tightly around his waist. He nodded to Mikoto, signaling that the other bathroom was free, and simply dismissed the scene as 'normal' because that really was what it was. Itachi turned around, a sheepish expression plastered on his face. "Dad, can I use your bathroom?"

Fugaku tilted his head inquiringly. Mikoto pulled Sasuke into that bathroom and began explaining things about puberty. "You see dear, it's what all girls have to go through in their lifetimes…you take the pad and…"

It wasn't until then that the father put the facts together and smirked at his eldest son. "Sure, Itachi. Hurry up or you'll be late."

Itachi bowed in gratitude and dashed for the bathroom door.

-0-0-0-

F o **u **r

**P a y m e n t **

-0-0-0-

"This is Sasuke, arriving on point B."

"Sakura, at C!"

"Ouch! Stupid branch." A pause. "Naruto at A."

The three shadows crept cautiously on their target, surrounding it in a triangle formation. A brief moment of silence ensued, and then Kakashi gave his subordinates the signal. At once, they leapt, hands ready to grab their target and incapacitate it. The creature squirmed and scratched, but there was no getting past three of Konoha's toughest genin. Well…sorta. It hissed and clawed Naruto right on the face, almost breaking free until Sasuke caught it into her arms.

"Stupid cat," Naruto said, rubbing his face.

Sasuke stroked the pet gently, scratching it right behind the ear. It purred delightfully against her chest (_**"You would too, kit." **_"Shut it!") and she motioned to for their other teammate, Sakura to inform Kakashi about the success. "I don't know. It's kinda cute."

"We captured it…uh-huh," the pink-haired girl said. She then turned to the cat and smiled. "How cute! It's purring."

Naruto rolled his eyes, falling back against the green grass, and growled. _This sucks! All we've been doing is boring mission. I swear, Dad's doing this on purpose so I don't get paid enough to ask Sasuke on a date! _At this, he eyed said girl carefully, who was still holding the cat down on her lap and chatting with Sakura. Naruto sighed. _How the hell can I garner her affections?_

Kyuubi coughed loudly, and Naruto asked him if he had a fur ball. _"__**Stupid kit." **_

_What?_

"_**Never mind."**_

Kakashi burst into the conversation, shattering radio silence. "So, how are things going on your end?" he said in the most taunting, mocking, causal tone any human being could ever muster. It was a tone that hinted irony, sarcasm, a tone in which a hidden command lay. Obviously, Kakashi wanted Naruto to do something, and that's exactly what the blond did.

"CAN'T WE HAVE BETTER MISSIONS THAN THIS!?"

Sasuke and Sakura stared at their male teammate incredulously, and Sasuke had to laugh quietly to herself. _Extremely typical, Naruto. But that's just what I love about you…_

-0-0-0-

Upon arriving at the Hokage's office, the feudal lord's wife instantly grew ecstatic once she caught a glimpse of her cat's red ribbon. She pried the poor animal roughly from Sasuke's arms and cuddled it mercilessly, and during the torture, the cat's eyes gleamed at the three genin, pleading for help. Kakashi approached his team, money in hand, and divided the shares evenly.

"Excellent job!" Minato said from behind the desk, rummaging through a whole stack of papers and scrolls. He pulled out a sheet and the entire pile collapsed, scattering all over the room. He laughed sheepishly and Naruto rolled his eyes, denying that the Hokage was his father. "Heh. One moment please. I'll get you your next mission." He bent over the table and managed to catch some falling papers in his fist. "Ah. Here it is. Babysitting the--"

"NO!"

The tired Hokage adjusted his headband and gazed up at his son, who was repeating the word over and over again, his arms crossed into an 'X' for emphasis. Exhausted of Naruto's antics, he sighed and pulled up a scroll with the letter's 'D' decorated on the borders. He pointed a pen to it and said, "Listen. You were only genin for about a week, meaning you guys are only ready for D rank missions. These missions are simple: cleaning, babysitting, and finding lost items, etc."

"But why!?" the mini-Minato protested. "Can't we get to doing something cool?"

Sighing, the Fourth motioned for Kakashi to explain. After apologizing to his superior, Kakashi turned to his subordinates. "You see, missions are classified as D, C, B, A, and occasionally an S. D rank missions are handed to Genin, like yourselves, and sometimes, depending on the situation, you may get a C. B and C rank missions are for Chunin, like Iruka. Jounin, like me usually are handed A, and ocassionaly an S, which is usually handled by ANBU, like your brother, Sasuke. The missions are ranked based on difficulty, D the lowest, with no fatality rate, and S, the highest, with an high fatality rate. It cost more to pay for an S than a D. Any questions?"

Kakashi peered at his students, who were loitering around the mission center. "So, the ramen my mother made last night was almost better than Ichiraku's!" Naruto squealed, waving his hands crazily. Sasuke blinked and nodded; her stomach was in too much pain right now to deal with the dobe. Girls really do have it hard. She made a mental note to appreciate Sakura's and Ino's personalites more.

"HEY! Are you listening?" Minato yelled, throwing a kunai that barely grazed his son's head. Some of the hair strands flew into the air, and some were caught against the wall, lodged in place by the kunai.

Kakashi smiled. _A supierior arm as always, sensei. Your skill hasn't dropped a bit. _

The three genin looked at their village leader, giving him their full attention. Minato sank back into his seat, twirling another one of his custom-made kunai dangerously. He smirked. "You know. Maybe a C rank mission could knock some sense into you…"

"DAD! I love you!" screamed Naruto, jumping up and down in delight.

Kakashi raised a questioning eyebrow. "Are you sure you're not giving him one just because you want my annoying subordinates to die?" he joked.

Raising his palms innocently, kunai hanging off his right index finger, Minato smiled, "Oh no, Kakashi! You saw right through me!" His face then grew serious and he pointed toward the door. "Let him in."

The wooden door slid open to reveal an old man brandishing a beer bottle. The obvious slur in his voice, plus the blush on his brown skin and the bottle equaled the fact that he was drunk. Leaning against the wall, he lifted one finger and jabbed it in the general direction of the genin. Somehow, he managed to coherently state, "You're kidding! That short punk is going to protect me?!"

"Ha! What short punk!?" exclaimed Naruto. His teammates sighed and stepped closer to the blond boy and Naruto then noted the apparent difference in their heights. Sakura rolled her eyes and bonked him on the head, commenting on how hollow it sounded and Sasuke shrugged, but a small smile graced her lips. Naruto growled, crossing his arms defensively, and he glowered at the laughing old man.

"_**You know, I hear that Sasuke prefers people who can actually meet her lips, or are at least taller than her, kit," **_Kyuubi let out a low, menacing chortle, and in Naruto's stomach, it felt like an earthquake. Then again, that's what it always felt like when Kyuubi spoke about Sasuke.

Kakashi lifted his hand, drawing attention towards him. "You have half an hour to get ready. Meet again at the village gates, and don't be late!" He didn't even had to look to know that the three eager teenagers had already vanished.

-0-0-0-

Sakura had already left in the other direction towards her house, allowing Naruto and Sasuke some alone time as they walked towards theirs. Sasuke could feel those cerulean eyes boring holes in her back and she sighed, shattering the uncomfortable silence. "So, um…are you excited for the mission?" she asked at a futile attempt for small talk.

"Yeah," Naruto said.

"Oh." _That was extremely stupid. _"Hn."

"_**Kit. The message?"**_

_Getting there._

"So…I met a friend a couple days back. He should be someone you know," his voice quivered slightly, and he watched Sasuke's gait slow down slightly. Taking a deep breath, Naruto kept his gaze on hers to gauge the raven's reaction. "He told me to say hello. Do you know who it is?" The question was left hanging in the air, and Sasuke's brows furrowed faintly in contemplation. However, the indifferent, emotionless expression returned.

"Who?"

"He told me to tell you that…Kyuubi says hi."

Sasuke stopped walking, and turned to face him, her face deathly serious. "Hello, Kyuubi."

Suddenly, Naruto felt as if a blanket had covered everything. He was sinking into blackness, falling deep into the caverns of his consciousness. Sasuke's beauty began to gradually fade as she was swallowed by the raging darkness, and he screamed out her name, over and over, reaching out towards his light, his salvation…his love. "SASUKE! SASUKE!" he cried repeatedly as he fell.

Blue eyed flickered to crimson red, and a sinister, feral smirk adorned Naruto's once cordial, human face. _**"Hello, Uchiha Sasuke. I've come to collect my payment."**_

-0-0-0-

Sorry about the cliffhanger. I had to. Meanwhile, here are the replies.

**Noah of Knowledge: **Should I just call you Azul? That's a really pretty name! Okay, onto the real thing: thank you so much for your review. I really love it when new people review! I didn't really think last chapter was my best, but I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I hope you enjoyed this one as well.

**My name Is a flower: **What treat do I get this time? This is really motivating me to write more. Thank you so much for your support and I love cinnamon muffins! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**MoroTheWolfGod: **Well, FemSasu is really really fun to write, because she has more emotion than the real Sasuke. After all, female hormone levels are all over the charts, so yeah. And you got a taste of her female problems here, so yeah. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Stoic Sol: **Your wish is my command! You got it. I had this scene planned out from the beginning, and I had to shove Itachi in it because I love him so much. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**Otaku4lyphe: **Thank you! Another new reviewer always motivates me to write more. I'm glad you actually find this series interesting instead of boring like I thought it would be.

**Darknight11447: **I really appreciate your review! I didn't expect the reviews for last chapter to go so well, because last chapter wasn't what I would call my best. Thank you for your support.

**IceNight009: **I'm glad that my story caught your attention. Well, I can't reveal too much in the replies because that would ruin everything. It would start veering off and on the story line because it has to. I guess you'll have to read, review and see for yourself. (Yes I'm forcing you. I know I'm evil.)

**EdSpikeSesshyGirl: **You got your answer, although probably a million more questions have popped up. Thank you so much for your review and for reading my fiction.

**DrownMySoul: **Well, what do you expect? Kakashi's prepared for everything! Well, everything can change with just a single thought or emotion. I wanted to emphasize that in this story; that people can change. Thank you so much for your support and for reading this story. Thank you!

**Please! I ask you to help me write by voting in the pole on my profile. And please review.**

**See you next time. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	5. Start

**Wow. I realize I have been gone for a while. Sorry for the delay. Thank you so much for the reviews. Again, replies are at the bottom. On with the show!**

**-0-0-0-**

It was wet. And, although there were more important things to worry about, Naruto was busy contemplating why his ridiculous orange jumpsuit wasn't soaked. Slowly, he rose up, trying to steady his shaky knees. A cold breeze lightly whipped across his face, sending more shivers down his spine. All around him was pitch black.

_Where am I?_

He spun around, searching for any bit of light, his movements causing a mini whirlwind of water spraying around his ankles. After a few minutes, he realized that there was no light around, and his best bet was probably just choosing a random direction and moving. He closed his eyes, lifted a finger and twirled again.

Suddenly, two torches lit in front of him, illuminating the bleak area. Naruto opened his eyes and stared at the giant cage looming above him. Where the lock should have been, a chakra seal had been placed. Beneath his feet, an odd, swirling symbol was etched onto the floor. The same symbol he often saw on his stomach.

Yet again: _Where am I?_

A pleading sound and a scream shattered his reverie. Immediately his confused mind recognized the voice. Sasuke!

"Let him go! Let him go!" she begged. "Naruto!"

He turned at the words, looking for a sign, an arrow. Anything to point the way to her. It came in the form of a weakly, flickering light, struggling to stay alive. Without another thought, he charged for it, wishing away the blackness, the eeriness of the chamber, and only thinking of crashing straight into her heavenly embrace.

-0-0-0-

F i **v** e

**S t a r t**

-0-0-0-

He certainly crashed into her alright.

When Naruto's eyes finally blinked away the white stars, he glanced down to see Sasuke's surprised, but relieved face. Her eyes were wide with an immense happiness, and a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. For a moment, they stayed that way, just staring, until Sasuke turned her head away, uncomfortable.

"Sorry," the blond whispered, brushing off his trousers and then holding a hand out to help her. She graciously took it, and stood in such a beautiful, god-like way that would make any ballerina jealous.

"It's okay," she murmured. Her eyes flashed downward in worry, but then met Naruto's cerulean ones, glittering with joy. "Anyway, I better get going. Or we're going to be late." She turned to leave.

Naruto raised one hand, and watched her tense up. Solemnly, he spoke, "I'm guessing I shouldn't ask what just happened?"

A pregnant pause. And she slowly craned her neck to face him, a false smile on her face. "What are you talking about, Naruto? You just tripped." And she was off without another word.

He stared at her receding silhouette before turning left and heading home.

-0-0-0-

Her heart wouldn't stop thumping. It bounced against her constricted chest, threatening to explode, or break free from her flesh. Warm blood pumped throughout her system, but despite that she felt so cold. So much so that she was frozen in place. Fear was not strong enough a word to describe the feeling. Absolute terror was more like it.

Those crimson eyes had been her salvation, granting her the wish of a lifetime. She had been relishing it too much. Of course, Kyuubi would demand payment. What type of demon wouldn't?

She made a deal with the devil.

It was ironic. Before, in her past life, she…he, was willing to throw away his life, sell his body, just to obtain revenge. But now that she had everything, she was unwilling to give it away. The sickening feeling of loosing even the tiniest thing; it was enough to make her hurl.

But Sasuke had no choice. The contract wouldn't take effect for a while anyway, but even so she couldn't do anything about it.

_At least not yet._

A plan was hatching, and judging by the smirk gracing her features, even Kyuubi no Kitsune had plenty to fear.

-0-0-0-

Surprisingly, when the team met at the village gates, Kakashi was the first one there. Sakura nearly fainting in surprise. Naruto and Sasuke, however, remained silent, the former staring blankly at his teammate. Sasuke fidgeted, but chose to ignore him. Easier said than done.

"Are you kids all ready?" the silver haired jounin inquired lazily. The three chorused a 'yes' and he motioned for them and their charge to start walking. Tazuna stayed put, swinging the empty beer bottle in his hand.

"I'm still not trusting these brats," he jeered. Although the words hinted taunting doubt, something in his tone insinuated worry, or regret. Sasuke didn't have to think twice why. _He's worried that since we're kids, we might get killed because of the better ninja coming after him. _The Uchiha female didn't feel scared at all. She welcomed the challenge.

Kakashi glanced back at the man, his expression unreadable. "Don't worry about a thing. It's just a C rank mission. Nothing more than simple bandits and stuff." He yawned and procured his orange book from his back pouch and began walking while reading. Sasuke prayed that he would crash into a tree.

"So no real ninja fights?" Sakura asked, obviously scared.

"Nope," Kakashi reassured casually.

"Still, I don't trust these brats," Tazuna repeated more forcefully. He tossed aside the bottle and pulled another one from his bag. Untwisting the cap, he continued, "They don't look like they can hurt a fly. Especially blondie over there."

Delved deep into his thoughts, it took Naruto a few seconds to process the insult. Finally, he pointed an accusing finger at the old man, announcing, "Well, I'm going to be the Hokage someday. Just like my father. Just you wait!"

Tazuna let out a hearty laugh, and swigged down a couple gulps of his beer. He chortled again, and managed to say, "Hokage? Strongest in the village? Highly doubt it, kiddo. And even if you did make it, who would want a Hokage like you?" More chuckles escaped his throat. "Like I was saying, still don't think you can protect me."

"I'm gonna kill you!" Naruto yelled.

Sakura jabbed Naruto in the stomach, causing him to stagger backwards for a bit. Angrily she yelled, "What's the point of killing the person we're supposed to protect?"

Naruto rubbed his new bruise and returned to brooding.

Kakashi watched the scene, amused. Then he turned his attention to his charge and confided, "I'm a jounin. Don't worry about a thing." He continued walking, slowly lagging behind the group. By the look on Tazuna's face, anyone could tell that he still remained unconvinced.

They journeyed in silence for a few moments. It was a peaceful day: cloudless sky, nice breeze, and wonderful sunlight. A bit too perfect for Sasuke's taste. She looked at her feet, avoiding Naruto's sharp, questioning gaze. Finally, it was the pinkette who broke the silence. "Tazuna-san? You're from the Wave Country, which is where we're escorting you, correct?"

Her response was a grunt. She took it as a yes and turned to Kakashi, "Do they have ninja in that country?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No. They are located close to the Mist Village, which could technically serve as their ninja village, so to say. The Wave Country is small, so it doesn't need ninja. Not all the countries have ninja, but the large ones do, like Fire, Wind, Earth, Lightning, and Rain. There are some small countries that do, like Grass, Waterfall and recently Sound. Well, other countries could have them, cause they are _hidden _villages, but who knows." He shrugged and looked back down at the book. "Besides, like I've already explained, this is a C rank, meaning no enemy ninja encounters."

Sakura nodded, but her hands were shaking slightly. "Whatever you say, sensei," she said.

There was a small splashing sound. All heads turned toward Naruto, whose foot had landed in a puddle. Muttering curses, he shook his now damp feet and groaned. "Stupid puddle. It didn't even rain for weeks and you're here," he spat, and continued walking. Sasuke hopped over it, smiling inwardly.

"You're right. I wonder how it got here…"she said, raising an eyebrow at Kakashi. The jounin glared at her.

The statement caused Naruto to freeze in his tracks. He slowly stepped to face the two, his eyes clouded with wonder. "Do you think--"

He had no time to finish his question. In a flash, two shinobi rose up from the water and dashed quickly, brandishing chains like whips. They surrounded Kakashi, wrapping their weapon around him like rope. One laughed in triumph and said, "One down."

They pulled.

Naruto and Sakura watched in horror, and Sasuke jumped quickly, tossing a kunai and shuriken with great accuracy. She managed to trap the two against the tree, and landed gracefully onto their shoulders. Over her shoulder, Sasuke barked at her two immobile teammates, "Protect Tazuna!" Quickly, she kicked the two ninja's in the face, knocking them backward.

_Sasuke's…fighting! _

_**Yeah, kit. What are you going to do? I thought it was the man's job to protect the woman.**_

_But I'm too…_

_**Humph. Shows what you can do. And you truly call yourself a ninja. Your father must be ripping his hair out. Would you like me to send you back into that room again? I could take care of this, if you like.**_

Naruto closed his eyes and shook the thoughts out of his head. He needed to do something instead of just sitting here and talking to himself – or Kyuubi. Sakura had already positioned herself in front of Tazuna, kunai prepared for attack. He scanned the field. The two assaulters had managed to free themselves from their trap, and one was heading toward the charge. The other toward him.

He saw the look of horror on Sasuke's face. She wasn't running to protect their charge; she was running towards him.

"Stay back," he commanded, somehow finding his voice. Sasuke stopped running, and an odd look formed on her face. Was it…admiration? Whatever it was, it was enough to fuel Naruto for his next course of action. Somewhere, deep inside himself, he felt the adrenaline of battle. It was like a long lost memory, granting him wisdom and strength, banishing the fear. He remembered the pain, the suffering, and the wonderful feeling of victory. Shinobi shouldn't rely on emotion, but sometimes emotion was the greatest strength you had.

His eyes focused on the enemy charging towards him. His path was a straight line, _easily countered by a quick attack. _Somehow, the feeling in the pit of his stomach supplied his brain with the strategy. It was like he knew it all along. Like something like this had occurred before. However, he had no time to dwell on such things. His eyes flashed toward Sasuke, and she nodded, tossing a kunai right in front of the man's feet. He skirted around it effortlessly, but Naruto had other plans.

Quickly, he leapt into the air, and threw projectile after projectile at his opponent, each time aiming right in front of his feet. At the moment he tried to step around it, Sasuke kicked him high into the air and Naruto slammed his elbow right into his face, slaloming him back down onto the ground. He landed onto his feet, wobbling slightly.

"How did you do that?" the Uchiha asked, eyes blinking widely at him. She rushed to his side.

Naruto stared at his hands, his feet, and clutched his stomach tightly. "I don't know. The feeling just came, like I had already experienced things like this before." He met her gaze and wiped his nose with his finger, a simple gesture for victory. "Well, all I really did think of was protecting you."

The both flushed crimson.

Meanwhile, Kakashi had already finished off the other ninja and was currently tying the two captives against the trunk of a large oak tree. Sakura collapsed to her knees, letting out a sigh of relief. Naruto and Sasuke approached the others, still avoiding the other's gaze, and Tazuna just blinked once, and rubbed his eyes, making sure he just saw what he thought he witnessed.

"These look like Hidden Mist Chunin. They were trained to fight no matter what," Kakashi commented dryly.

"How did you read our movements?" one demanded. Sasuke promptly kicked him in the face.

Casually, all eyes turned toward Naruto, who blinked and pointed at himself. Finally, all ideas snapped in place. "The puddle! I stepped on your heads," he exclaimed.

Tazuna rolled his eyes, but eyed the jounin suspiciously. "You knew about it and yet you let the kids fight!?" he yelled.

Kakashi shrugged, obviously not feeling guilty whatsoever. "They handled it quite well, don't you think? Besides, I needed to know what they were after." And the jounin returned the glare. "Obviously, this isn't a C rank anymore if there are enemy ninja involved. We're operating beyond our jurisdiction."

"We should quit then," Sakura said, rising to her feet. "It's too dangerous."

"No way," Naruto protested, staring at his hands. "We can do this. I have a feeling that we can do this!" And his eyes flickered to Sasuke before turning away again, blushing.

Sakura stomped her foot in frustration. "Naruto, don't get so cocky. What if one of us gets seriously injured? What then?"

Kakashi sighed and raised his hands, silencing the two bickering students. "I guess it's settled then. We'll continue. I understand that you are afraid, Sakura, considering it's your first real battle, but you know what they say. Majority rules."

Her jaw dropped. "You can't be serious, sensei!"

He turned and faced his students, smiling and giving them a thumbs up. "Don't worry. If anything happens, I'll protect you." His expression changed again, this time more serious, "Even so, you need to be prepared for anything. Are you ready?"

Sakura opened her mouth, but clamped it shut quickly, staying quiet. Sasuke sighed and stared at Naruto, or more specifically his stomach. Kyuubi was correct in saying that there would be some glitches. Naruto's performance during the fight was enough proof. His memories might return…

"_**And he may hate you with every fiber of his being. I'd love to see how you react."**_

The words were haunting. Almost enough to make her give up.

_Naruto never gave up on me. Why should I give up now? _The notion allowed her to press forward and keep walking by his side. And then: _Might as well be friends with him now, if I'm not allowed to be later. _

Besides, she had more important things to be worrying about. The Demon Hunter of the Mist was arriving.

She smiled crookedly. A challenge.

After all the hell she'd been through in her previous life, the only words she could say to Kakashi were, "Bring it on."

-0-0-0-

**I'm sorry for the shortness. I had brain damage done to me over vacation. I'm kidding.**

**Here are the replies.**

**Chaos Jester Power – **Sorry about the cliffhanger. I'm glad you love the story though. I didn't reveal too much in this chapter for a reason. Here's a cookie for reading.

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**Cat in the Dark – **I'm in love with Itachi. Especially after the Naruto Manga. Well, I'm so glad that you enjoy this fic. Thank you so much for your support, and here's a cookie for your review.

**Darknight11447 – **Thank you so much for your review. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint so much either! Here's a cookie for your support.

**IceNight009 – **Can't say anything! Can't say anything! So that's why I didn't reveal so much. I have this whole story mapped out on a piece of paper somewhere in my room. You'll just have to wait and see how things turn out! Thank you so much for your review and here's a cookie for it!

**DrownMySoul – **Well, it's not what you think it is…if that's what you're thinking. Well, who knows? Thank you again so much for your support. I hope that you keep reading! Here's a cookie for you.

**Stoic Sol – **Naruto's getting wiser…for a reason. You'll just have to keep reading! Thank you so much for the warning and for the support. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Here's a cookie.

**Alexwill22 – **Maybe, maybe not. You'll have to keep reading to find out. Thank you so much for the review. Here's a cookie!

**Otaku4lyphe – **I'm glad that you find my story interesting. I really didn't think so at first. Thank you so much for your support. Here's a cookie!


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